CITY BLOW BASEL AWAYA brilliant Manchester City steamrollered poor Basel with a 4-0 win in the teams’ Champions League last-16 first leg at St. Jakob-Park. The first goal arrived after 13 minutes, Ilkay Gundogan flashing a header into the net from Kevin de Bruyne’s corner, and it was soon two, Bernardo Silva volleying home a Raheem Sterling cross at the back post. Sergio Aguero grabbed the third goal in the 23rd minute with a pinpoint strike from 18 yards as City utterly dominated, although Dimitri Oberlin did head a decent chance wide as well as miskicking when through on goal. City squandered a number of chances in the second half but rounded things off with a beauty of a curler from Gundogan. Watch out Champions League.

90'

FULL TIME FC BASEL 0 MANCHESTER CITY 4The full time whistle confirms an emphatic 4-0 win for Man City, who scarcely need to turn up to the second leg at the Etihad.

89'

YELLOW CARDGundogan loses his head and runs after Serey Die following a foul, the ref quickly getting in the way to stop any retribution. There was little contact, but the lunging nature of the tackle was what ired Gundogan. Die is handed a caution.

85'

SUBSTITUTIONSEach coach makes a change; Raphael Wicky sends on Kevin Bua for Elyounoussi, while Pep Guardiola protects the precious legs of Aguero by sending on Danilo.

83'

LAST-DITCH DEFENDINGGundogan produces a deft slide-rule pass to try to play in Aguero, who has the ball taken off his toe by Leo Lacroix just as Vaclik slides in and misses the ball completely.

80'

KEEPER WHO CAN PLAYEderson keeps his head with amazing coolness to pass short between two onrushing attackers, as he's done many times this evening.

76'

INTO ROW ZRiveros gets over-excited as the ball bounces into the left-hand channel, the midfielder ballooning a half-volley high into the stand.

74'

TWO'S ENOUGHA burst of speed takes Aguero past three defenders to reach the byline, from where the striker cuts the ball back to Gundogan, who's denied his hat-trick by the quick reactions of Vaclik.

71'

SUBSTITUTIONAguero's knee accidentally connects with the back of Blas Riveros' calf, causing a clear dead leg which leaves the Basel man in some pain. While he regains his feet Albian Ajeti is sent on for Stocker.

69'

OBERLIN DENIEDA Gundogan foul 25 yards out gifts Basel a free kick, which Oberlin curls venomously over the wall. Ederson has to jump to get a hand to the shot and grabs it at the second attempt.

68'

STRAIGHT AT THE KEEPERSuddenly the hosts are having a go; Mohamed Elyounoussi nutmegs Fabian Delph to break into the area on the right and leathers a shot straight down Ederson's throat, the startled Brazilian beating it away.

67'

WIDE FROM OBERLINBasel have created little this half but nearly score as Stocker chips an excellent cross to the back stick, where Oberlin leaps and heads wide when he really should hit the target.

66'

OVER FROM SILVAKyle Walker's pace takes him clear of Marek Suchy on the right, and the full back locates Aguero with a square ball. City's top scorer has his back to goal and lays it off to David Silva, who can't keep his sidefooted effort under the bar.

63'

SUBSTITUTIONPep Guardiola takes off Kevin de Bruyne and brings on the equally skilled David Silva, who's returning from a hip injury.

62'

FERNANDINHO OFF TARGETFernandinho glances up 25 yards from goal to spot a gap and send a firmly-struck drive rising over the crossbar.

SUBSTITUTIONSterling makes way for Leroy Sane, who unbelievably has returned to match fitness just two weeks after suffering ankle ligament damage.

56'

TOO TIGHTMichael Lang stretches to poke a pass beyond Kyle Walker for Dimitri Oberlin, who tries to score from a near-impossible angle and unsurprisingly pulls his shot right across the face of goal.

53'

GOAL!!! MAN CITYSergio Aguero glides across the turf before moving the ball on to ILKAY GUNDOGAN just before being knocked over by a defender. The Germany midfielder sidesteps Fabian Frei with consummate ease and curls a sumptuous 18-yard effort into the top corner, giving Tomas Vaclik no chance yet again.

51'

INDECISION IS FINALRaheem Sterling reaches a long ball ahead of the trailing defenders but fails to be decisive and turns back on himself, allowing Basel to crowd him out.

49'

SUPER SAVEMohamed Elyounoussi runs onto a bouncing ball and bends a brilliant shot around Vincent Kompany from the edge of the box, the strike bringing an equally impressive flying save from Ederson Moraes.

47'

PILEDRIVERKevin de Bruyne carries the ball towards goal with purpose and ignores the option of Bernardo Silva to take aim from 20 yards. The strike is a powerful one but too close to Tomas Vaclik, who clutches it to his chest.

46'

SECOND HALFThe teams are back out and the second half is underway, with neither coach having made any changes at the break.

45'

SUPER CITY STREAK AHEADCity are already out of sight after ruthlessly taking Basel apart. The first goal arrived after 13 minutes, Ilkay Gundogan flashing a header into the net from Kevin de Bruyne’s corner, and it was soon two, Bernardo Silva volleying home a Raheem Sterling cross at the back post. Sergio Aguero grabbed the third goal in the 23rd minute with a pinpoint strike from 18 yards, after which the hosts took their foot off the gas somewhat. Basel did carry some threat in the early stages, but first Dimitri Oberlin and then Valentin Stocker wasted one-on-ones with Ederson Moraes, and there seems little hope for them now. Stay tuned for all the action after the break.

45'

HALF TIME FC BASEL 0 MANCHESTER CITY 3We've reached the break here in Switzerland, where Man City are 3-0 up and cruising against a fairly hopeless Basel.

43'

NASTY CHALLENGESerey Die goes in over-vehemently with two feet on an incensed De Bruyne, taking the ball but certainly endangering his opponent. The ref opts for nothing more than a lecture.

42'

STILL FIGHTINGIt's hard to think where the hosts go from here, but at least they continue to battle for every ball.

38'

YELLOW CARDXhaka jumps all over Sterling's back in trying to prevent his opponent from reaching a ball down the line, somehow having the temerity to complain as the ref issues a yellow card.

37'

CLOSE FROM DE BRUYNEFabian Delph gets in behind the right back and spots De Bruyne on the edge of the box, the former Aston Villa man pulling the ball back perfectly. De Bruyne lets fly with a searing half-volley that roars only just over the crossbar.

33'

DOUBLE SAVETomas Vaclik sprawls on the ground to get his gloves to the ball as Sterling controls it right in front of goal, even making a second intervention with his hands as Sterling jumps back up.

32'

HUMAN AFTER ALLDe Bruyne tries to thread a ball through the back line to Kyle Walker, but unbelievably he overhits the pass. It's somehow comforting to know that he's human.

30'

SUBDUED SPELLThe goal glut looks likely to have dried up for now, with both teams taking less chances, but this lull can't last for too long.

26'

ALREADY OVERCity have understandably taken their foot off the gas a little now and are knocking the ball around at the back.

23'

GOAL!!! MAN CITYLeo Lacroix dives in to make a tackle on Fernandinho, who was dribbling towards the box, and the ball breaks to SERGIO AGUERO. The master marksman takes aim and finds the bottom corner with a precise finish from 18 yards, Tomas Vaclik failing even to move from the spot.

21'

LOUD AND PROUDThe two goals haven't taken the wind out of the home fans' sails; they're determined to enjoy themselves and are giving Basel some loud and enthusiastic backing.

18'

GOAL!!! MAN CITYRaheem Sterling turns on the afterburners to streak into the penalty area on the left, the England international producing a skimmed cross that Taulant Xhaka can only help on to BERNARDO SILVA at the back post. The diminutive playmaker doesn't catch his volley particularly sweetly, but the keeper seems to go down early and gets only a slight despairing touch to the effort, allowing it to loop into the far corner of the net.

15'

TENTATIVE TRYMohamed Elyounoussi's dinked ball over the top gets Valentin Stocker in on goal all too easily, but the forward appears scared of the onrushing Ederson and waves a tentative leg at the ball, missing it entirely.

14'

GOAL!!! MAN CITYKevin de Bruyne's high ball is headed out for a corner by Leo Lacroix, and the Belgian takes it himself. ILKAY GUNDOGAN charges to the near post to beat Fabian Frei to the ball and apply a superb glancing header that flashes into the net. Basel will have to come out and play now.

12'

NO PENALTYThe crowd whistle loudly after Oberlin enters the box and pushes the ball past Otamendi, who steps across to send the Basel man to the ground. That could easily have been given.

10'

COUNTER CULTUREBasel are sitting back in concentrated numbers whenever City have the ball while also looking highly dangerous on the break.

7'

SLOPPY SLICEMarek Suchy's attempted clearance slices straight up in the air and almost drops to Sergio Aguero inside the penalty area, but enough men get back to crowd out the lethal Argentine.

6'

HOW DID HE MISS?Dimitri Oberlin races clear of the back line in pursuit of a long ball and reaches it before Ederson Moraes, but the forward miskicks his finish and allows Nicolas Otamendi to clear up. What a chance that was.

5'

DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHSBlas Riveros carries the ball forward at speed and slots a pass in behind the away defence looking for Fabian Frei, but the latter had checked his run. Basel clearly will be a threat tonight.

2'

GUNDOGAN DENIEDThere's an early chance for City as Bernardo Silva runs onto Ilkay Gundogan's pass out to the right and plays in a cross towards the German, who sprints into the penalty area to nod a decent header towards goal. Tomas Vaclik pulls off an acrobatic save to tip it over the crossbar.

FC BASEL V MANCHESTER CITYIt’s knockout time in the Champions League as Manchester City look to prove their standing as major players in the European game with a last-16 tie against FC Basel. Switzerland’s pre-eminent team may not look on paper like one of the more challenging opponents Pep Guardiola’s Premier League leaders could have faced, but their victory over Manchester United in the group stages shows they can’t be taken lightly. One surprise inclusion tonight could be that of Leroy Sane, who has defied medical science by returning to full training within two weeks instead of the seven estimated when he sustained ankle ligament damage. Join me, Luke Ostler, at 7.45pm GMT for all the action from St. Jakob-Park.